My Geography teacher has started an experiment which involves me writing about what I have learnt in my lessons and about any geographical news that interests me. My Geography teacher is also going to write a blog about what she teaches me (and therefore what I should have learnt!) and hopefully the two blogs will match up. The idea is that this will not only help me to consolidate what I learn but that it will also help fellow students do the same and keep up to date with current issues.

Wednesday, 25 April 2012

Hello everyone! I hope the revision is going well; only like 8 more weeks of hard work and then it will all be over!!!

Climate modelling is a really, really complicated mathematical area and I got the pleasure of spending some time with many of the worlds best climate modellers whilst at the Met Office. During my time there, understanding modelling was an area that I really struggled to understand and my inquistive nature lead to much confusion on my part (sometimes I really need to just accept things!). Fortunately it seems that we dont really need much knowledge on the modelling but I thought I would summarise what we should have learnt from the documentary we watch - if anyone fanices learning more, this could be a good topic to look into over your long summer holidays (it is on my list for looking at!) and there is some stuff on the blog about it; word of warning though, the maths get very confusing very fast!!!

Here is the links to the three episodes, in order - we only watched the third one in class....

- The worlds first climate models were far from computer based! Instead small scale models were used and these helped to formulate the basics of atmospheric circulation, allowing scientists to generate the basic laws that the atmosphere abides by. However they failed to represent the complex oceanic/atmospheric intergration or predict weather patterns
- Computer modelling was first used to predict the weather on a 24 hour timescale. However, at first it was taking 24 hours to produce a forecast and was not until the 1970s that this became efficient enough and worked reasonably well
- Early on, the models were not deemed that reliable and consequently many climate skeptics used this as a point of attack, saying that as results were not reliable, it could not be said that climate change was happening in reality
- It was not until the 1991 Pinatubo eruption that the models could be tested to see if predictions were accurate. Hansen, a world leader in climate modelling used the eruption to see if the models predictions of the extent of cooling caused was accurate. This event was ideal due to timing of eruption and duration of impacts. The 1980 eruption of Mount St Helens unfortunately came to early to be used to test modelling accurracy due to level of computer technology at that time
- Subsequently, by the late 1990s climate models were deemed, worldwide, as reliable and so their projections viewed with confidence. At this time the models were suggesting that a doubling of CO2 would increase global temperatures by 3C. However, this will never be 100% accurate as resolution of the models still needs improving and modellers still struggle to ensure computers consider influential factors in affecting climate on a smaller, more local scale - this is quite a good explanation of why climate modelling has improved over the years, produced by the Met Office - Climate Modelling

- There is also the complication of field observations, which are crucial in producing the models, and the increasing level of understanding we are gaining over time. This is an inherent problem with climate modelling and will continue to be as we discover new feedbacks operating in the climate system. The example in the video was based around glacial movements as a once believed 'dead' glacier became 'alive' again and started moving at a faster rate, as the planet has warmed, this has then increased the rate of sea level rise etc. Feedbacks control the extent of change with negative considered stable and positive feedbacks often detrimental due to their amplyfing effect. These feedbacks are very hard to model so uncertainities will always exisr with modelling; meaning tht changes in sea level, for example, could happen a lot quicker than models predict
- 1961: Lorentz's discovered 'chaos' in the climate sytem by changing degree of rounding used in models and this went on to explain variations in modelling projections. Thousand of runs and run and the general trend is then taken and countries all use different models. The UK uses the Met Offices HadCM3 which was influential in both IPCC AR3 and AR4. Ensemble forecasting is being used to an increasing degree. Ensemble forecasting basically means that all the different runs are started at slightly differing conditions and then by comparing the results it produces a much better idea of what weather events will occur at a given time.
- The discovery of the 'Chaos Theory' made climate scientists realise that there were factors with an influence on climate that they had yet to discover and incorporate in models or to quantify their signigicance
- Proxy data such as Greenland ice cores and pollen and beetles help us formulate the temperature record going back to the Younger Dryas. Understanding how past climates have changed and incorporating this knowledge into modelling helps to make long term prediction more accurate than say the 5 day forecast. The proxy record also indicates that abrupt climate change is possible
- So, far Antartica seems to have experienced the most rapid climate change, especially in terms of sea ice coverage. In 2007 sea ice shrunk by an area 10 times the size of the UK, leading to some scientists predicting that in a decade no sea ice will remain during summertime in this area
- Models say that warming may be slow and steady but history indicates it can be rapid and so we are now experiencing changes happening at a faster rate than model predictions and faster than we originally thought
- Technology has allowed us to deal with some climate condition e.g Las Vegas is built in a desert yet is full of water, thanks to the Hoover Dam which created the 100 mile long Lake Mead. An 8 year drought has been experienced in this region though and models suggest that the drought will continue and, as population expands, water will become scarce and Lake Mead will become ineffective by the late 2020s

So, these are all the notes I managed to take! The basic knowledge we need to have for climate modelling I think is a bit about when they were developed, how they started off etc and then why there are uncertainities and why they are still considered unreliable. Within in this, you need to be able to link in the use of Mount Pinatubo and proxy data to reduce modelling unceratinity but meanwhile realise that they will arguably never be 100% certain. Hopefully I have covered all of this!

Geography Films

My Geography teacher is always reminding my class that watching (geography related) films can contribute to the 3 hours of reading time we are supposed to do each week. On both her blog and the Facebook page there are lists of recommended films and so I thought I would start to watch some of them and write a review on them from a student's perspective. If I would recommeded them to a fellow student then I will add the film to my own list below.......

- THE AGE OF STUPID (great film to watch for the energy module as it talks about climate change, energy consumption and production via some interesting case studies)

- THE COVE (this film is very thought provoking and presented the issues surrounding the dolphin trade - before watching this I didn't know a lot about the issue, especially the scale of it in Japan, and it left me feeling very shocked that something like this still exists today in such a developed country)

-ENCOUNTERS AT THE END OF THE WORLD (a great documentary with some simply stunning footage and interesting interviews that collectively provide an insight into life in Antarctica and the important research that is taking place)

-THE CONSTANT GARDENER (a rather sad story about how a drug company exploit the Kenyan population to allow them to test a new drug, despite the fact they know it has harmful side effects - good film for development and globalisation)

- ERIN BROCKOVICH (a good film that presents the negative impacts of the natural gas industry and the extent to which large companies are prepared to go to, to cover this up)

- SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE (provides an insight into the life of children living in the Indian slums - good film to watch for development)

- GANDHI (a biopic about the life of Gandhi with particular reference to his prominent role in India's struggle for freedom from colonial rule)

- CRY FREEDOM (set in South Africa and tells the true story of Biko and his friendship with a white liberal newspaper editor - good film to watch for development)

- THE PAINTED VEIL (set in China, in the 1920's, and explores the impact of a cholera outbreak on a village, including references as to how religious beliefs make containing cholera even more challenging)

- BLOOD DIAMOND (set amid the explosive civil war overtaking 1999 Sierra Leone; it explores many issues including those surrounding the diamond trade, supply of arms to rebels and child soldiers - good film to watch for development and globalisation module)- THE DAY AFTER TOMORROW (after the Larsen B ice shelf collapses, the thermohaline circulation shutdowns, provoking glacial inception in the northern hemisphere - a good film to watch and then point out the geographical/scientific mistakes!)

- GOODBYE BAFANA (follows the unlikely friendship that forms between Mandela and his prision officer - good for development and globalisation)

- INVICTUS (after 27 years imprisionment, Mandela becomes South Africa's first elected president and this film follows his bid to unite the country via the rugby world cup - good film for development and globalisation)

- DARFUR (a group of international journalists travel to a village in Darfur in search of evidence to persuade the UN that genocide has occured but are forced to live after the Janjaweed turn up and threaten to kill them.... a film to watch for either development and globalisation or the population module but be warned it is very graphic)

Geography Books

I am a bit of a bookworm and often prefer reading a good book to watching a film and so (like I am doing with the Geography films) I am going to read some of the suggested books and write a review on them so I can comment on whether or not I think they are worth reading........

- AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH, Al Gore ( presents the issue of climate change and discusses how it has been caused and the impacts it is likely to have - well worth reading but if you prefer the film version is equally as a good)

- OUR CHOICE, Al Gore (this books follows on from An Inconvenient Truth by offering the solutions Al Gore thinks are required to solve the issue of Global Climate Change)

- THE BOY WHO HARNESSED THE WIND, William Kamkwamba and Bryan Mealer (tells the extraordinary true story of a Malawian teenager who overcame many obstacles to provide electricity and clean water for his village by capturing the energy in both the wind and the sun)

- BLOOD RIVER, Tim Butcher (tells the story of Tim Butchers quest to retrace the journey taken by H.M.Stanley in the 1870's. From this you get an insight into the history of the Congo and the factors that have effected its development - great book for the development and globalisation module as it provides an insight into the impact colonialism has had on Africa)

- GAIA, James Lovelock (presents the Gaia hypothesis which is the idea that the Earth functions as a living organism and so self-regulates to adapt to changing conditions - puts forward some very interesting ideas and really makes you think - it is worth a read!)

- THE REVENGE OF GAIA, James Lovelock (applies the Gaia hypothesis to global climate change - again an intriguing read which presents some interesting ideas and solutions to problems we are likely to face)

About Me

Whilst studying A-levels in Geography, Chemistry, Biology, Maths and History, I became completely fascinated by the Earth Sciences and found them particularly good for feeding my natural curiosity, providing answers to my never ending list of questions! Despite my relentless enthusiasm and frequent question asking, I was quite a quiet student in comparison to the rest of my class so my teacher asked me to start this blog as part of her experiment to test the benefits of incorporating social media into education. The aim was to find out if social networking can be a valuable educational tool and discover how much I actually learnt in lessons. It proved to be a huge success, for both myself and other students, with all my A-level notes still available for students use. I am currently at University studying BSc (Joint Honours) ‘Physical Geography with Oceanography’ and still asking way too many questions! In an attempt to continue to share my love for anything Earth Science-related, and to see if it can have the same benefits at Higher Education, I am trying to continue the blogging and use of social networking. I hope it proves to be a useful and interesting read!

The what, why and how of this blog.......

Hopefully you will have worked this out by now, but this blog is written from a student's perspective and, when combined with my teachers blog, should provide an insight into what I get taught - therefore what I should have learnt - in my Geography lessons. The idea is that this will make it a useful place to go to consolidate your learning; somewhere to go if you didn't quite understand something or missed a lesson. As well as this, posts will be written on anything of general geographical interest whether that be something currently in the news, anything related that I read or watch, anything I do or a topic that I just fancy finding out more about - all of this is designed to broaden our geographical knowledge. When it comes to revision I will try and write up as many notes as possible but it is unlikely that I will be able to cover everything so just let me know if there is anything you would like me to cover. So, thats what the blog is about (simply sharing, with anyone willing to read it, lots of geographical stuff that interests me!) and I am writing it because I tend to get a little enthusiastic about Geography and ask too many questions and so by channeling my interest in this way it will hopefully help you as much as it helps me!!! Whats the best way to use it? Well for starts reading/following the blogs and other resources is the only way you will benefit from them! Secondly, participate and get involved - comment on things, I am bound to get things wrong so correct me, you won't agree with everything I say so tell me what you think and perhaps even suggest things for me to read, watch or look into as I am always looking for new ways to extend my knowledge outside of the classroom. Geography is a discursive subject and, especially with human Geography, for the most part about forming/expressing opinions, so discuss the topics raised via the blogs etc. - trust me, its an easy way to learn!

I am now at University studying BSc (Joint Honours) Physical Geography with Oceanography - to keep my A-level notes separate I have started a new blog for current news and what I am learning in University - anything relevant I will also post on this blog, but please feel free to ask questions or requests posts! I hope students are still finding this a useful resource!

Disclaimer

'What I learnt in Geography this week.....' was created by, with content written by Vicki The Geography Student as part of an experiment conducted by Millie The Geography Teacher.

All posts published are my personal views, apart from where stated otherwise, and not those of the college I attended, my University or associated partners